Cardio Cocktail and Vitamin A

All About Vitamin A

Vitamin A was given the first letter of the alphabet for a name because it was the first vitamin to be discovered. It was found that vitamin A has a large number of uses in the body including keeping eyes healthy, aiding cell growth and also helping boost the immune system. However, vitamin A is not only absorbed directly but it is also created by the body by converting beta-carotene into vitamin A.

Vitamin A is required for normal functioning of the immune system. The skin and mucosal cells act as a barrier and are the body’s first line of defense against infection. Vitamin A is necessary to maintain the integrity and function of these cells. Vitamin A plays a central role in the development and differentiation of white blood cells, such as lymphocytes. This is critical for the immune response since lymphocytes are major regulatory cells of the immune system.
Vitamin A is essential for embryonic development. It is involved in the embryonic development and formation of the heart, eyes, and ears. It has also been found to control the DNA for growth hormone.
A deficiency in Vitamin A may cause a deficiency in iron leading to anemia. Vitamin A supplementation has been shown to be beneficial on iron deficiency anemia. The combination of vitamin A and reduces anemia more effectively than either supplement individually.
Vitamin A is important in the production of Red blood cells. Vitamin A assist red blood cells to perform their specific function through differentiation and it aids in the mobilization of iron into the red blood cells. This allows the Red Blood Cells to carry the much-needed oxygen to the cells and tissues in our body.

Vitamin A itself is found in a number of foods such as eggs, milk, liver, and meat. Beta-carotene that the body can convert into vitamin A is found in many fruits and vegetables, especially the red, orange and green colored ones. The most important point to remember that consuming too much pure vitamin A can be toxic. It is essential not to exceed the recommended daily allowance for vitamin A. The actually recommended allowance of vitamin A varies depending on a person’s age, sex, and other factors. While the actual amount of vitamin A consumed may be toxic if the recommended daily allowance is exceeded, there is a far higher limit to how much beta-carotene can be consumed. Therefore it is advisable to concentrate on obtaining the greatest amount of beta-carotene which the body can then convert to vitamin A, rather than consuming vast quantities of pure vitamin A rich foods.

Many people will remember being told that eating lots of carrots helps you to see in the dark and that is down to the vitamin A that is produced from the high levels of beta-carotene that are found in the vegetables. Other foods which have high levels of beta-carotene that can be converted to vitamin A include tomatoes and dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach. Beta-carotene is not only used to form vitamin A, but it is also a powerful antioxidant in itself. None of the beta-carotenes that is absorbed is wasted as any excess after conversion to vitamin A has taken place is used to fight the harmful free radicals within the body. Vitamin A also helps fight infections and illnesses by helping tissues that line various parts of the body, including the eyes, mouth, nose, throat, and lungs, to grow and also to repair them if they are damaged to prevent infection. Children also need plenty of vitamin A to help their bones and teeth to develop properly.